Many pre-retirees and retired Americans are reconsidering retirement, and it is not just about the money, according to a survey from F&G Annuities & Life Inc., formerly Fidelity and Guaranty Life Insurance Company.
Half of the more than 2,000 respondents indicated that they are considering delaying or coming out of retirement and more than four in 10 said money is not the reason, the survey noted. Fifty percent of retirees considering unretiring said they want to continue to enjoy the intellectual stimulation from working. That was followed by 36% who said they don't want to feel a lack of purpose.
And while financial concerns topped the list for the 64% of pre-retirees who said they are considering or have taken action to delay their retirement, 29% cited staying in the workforce because they love what they do and 27% said they want to continue the intellectual challenge/stimulation from working.
“Amid inflation, changing workforce dynamics post-Covid, and overall generational shifts, Americans are rethinking retirement and extending their time working or, for some retirees, unretiring altogether,” Chris Blunt, president and CEO of F&G, said in a statement. He added that the survey findings are interesting in that they “underscore how much generations like Baby Boomers are reconsidering what retirement looks like and what's important to them such as finding personal fulfillment and intellectual stimulation.”
The survey also found that 50% of respondents were without a financial advisor and that was particularly true for Generation X (ages 50-58), with 59% indicating that they currently don’t use a financial professional. Additionally, it found that more than a third (36%) of retirees who work with a financial professional own an annuity, compared to 14% who don’t use an advisor.
“Leveraging the expertise of a trusted financial advisor can often make people more confident and better equipped to navigate the challenges of retirement planning with conviction and clarity,” said Blunt. But he added that, “once financial considerations are mitigated, advisors could think beyond the numbers and also consider their role helping clients plan for overall happiness - whether that involves volunteering, working full time, part-time or not at all.”
The survey of 2015 U.S. adults was conducted online in June by Directions Research. It targeted respondents aged 50-plus who are financial decision-makers and have $100,000 in financial products/savings.